Nexus 4 vs S4

[Aquila]

That's where I think we can hypothetically agree:

If the cloud didn't exist or was unreliable, what would I want to solve for having access to my media for free?
If SD cards didn't exist, how would you want to solve for having access to your media for free?

I suspect our answers are similar, in that if our preferred methods do not exist, the rest of the options available today are far less than ideal, and thus we need to innovate something new.

 

[JeffDenver]

If I want something that's not in the 200, such as everything in All Access, it streams either via wifi or LTE.

In other words...we are back to hoping the cloud works. Otherwise you are SoL.

I have been in that position many many times. That is why I have learned not to rely on the cloud.

Both are "free" and unlimited. For people who those last two things are not true, or who are not connected at all, they'd have to be much more proactive about syncing playlists. I personally don't want to deal with having to choose music every day, or week or even once a month, so I use streaming.

SD does all that and better.

Your answer to the same problem is SD cards. There is nothing wrong with either approach, assuming they work, today.

After using SD for years, there has never been a time when it has not worked for me. Not once. Not on any device I have ever used since the Droid 1. That is some pretty good up time don't you think?

My argument is entirely based on the idea that 5 years from now, if SD cards don't exist (and we do have good reason to believe they will not exist, but the timing is not clear), how are we going to solve the same problem?

The only way they will not exist in 5 years is if they are replaced with something better.

Your solution seems to be "lets take away SD and hope something better comes along". My solution is "Lets use SD until we see something better first". My solution introduces far fewer inconveniences to the end user.

If people are paying per GB, I hate the idea of people spending money to listen to their own music.... so what's the solution in the future?

SD is a cheap and easy solution that has been working for years. Android was built around it. Why re-invent the wheel?

 

[JeffDenver]

That's where I think we can hypothetically agree:
If SD cards didn't exist, how would you want to solve for having access to your media for free?

We would need to invent SD cards.

 

[Aquila]

After using SD for years, there has never been a time when it has not worked for me. Not once. Not on any device I have ever used since the Droid 1. That is some pretty good up time don't you think?

Ever since Google took the supporting code out of Android (Ice Cream Sandwich), there have been problems. Especially since they removed app to SD (Jelly Bean). The Galaxies S3, Note 2 and S4 (not as many yet in the last) all have many threads about their phones killing SD cards, causing them to lose content. Like any issue, it doesn't happen to everyone or even most people, but I'd never want to risk losing pictures of my daughters, etc. to having that as my only plan. If I were using SD cards (my Thunderbolt had one, also never had any issues) I'd still be using the free cloud backup of photos, etc. in addition to the card.

I think you're misconstruing my point. I don't think you shouldn't have options, I'm just not attached to only one option. The presence of expandable storage via SD card will never cause me to buy or not buy a phone. It honestly won't influence my decision at all. The difference between 16GB and 32GB or 64GB internal storage (8GB is a bad joke) will impact which model I buy, but not whether or not I choose the device. I am leery of growing attached to anything that is on the chopping block.

I'm not saying, "take it away and hope for the best". I'm saying, "it's going away, now is the time to start shaping what storage evolves into".

 

[Aquila]

We would need to invent SD cards.

lol. Okay, that's insane. That's really the only possible solution? Of course, one could argue that they could improve the technology so that it exceeds Google's standards for speed, compatibility and reliability; thus making a new solution based on an old concept that serves better...

But this was an opportunity for creativity.

 

[JeffDenver]

lol. Okay, that's insane. That's really the only possible solution?

IMO, yeah. SD cards are cheap, extremely compact (they are smaller than a postage stamp for cryin out loud), require almost no power to use and retain data even without any power at all, and are non-proprietary. Using an adapter you can even plug them into another device and read or write to them directly. They are ubiquitous and used across a broad range of devices.

Do you know of any tech that does that or more?

Of course, one could argue that they could improve the technology so that it exceeds Google's standards for speed, compatibility and reliability; thus making a new solution based on an old concept that serves better...

You seem to be arguing for faster and more efficient SD cards.

There is no expandable storage that is better than SD that I have seen so far. And there is clearly a need for expandable storage for reasons I already mentioned.

 

[Aquila]

Do you know of any tech that does that or more?

The internet. It's free, takes up approximately 0 physical space, retains data with redundant backups and is accessible from just about everywhere. I get what you're saying, I just think we should be thinking further ahead than what exists today. In the mean time, I agree that for those whom the cloud is not readily available, SD cards are useful and like I've said several times, I agree Google shouldn't have killed them until there was something much better to replace it with, that works for almost everyone. There are better solutions that work for some people, but with you as an example, they don't work for everyone and that is definitely a problem that needs to be addressed.

The strategy though shouldn't be to cling to yesteryear, it should be to come up with something completely outside the box that makes the old tech look silly. We've done this with music; going from records to tape on reels, to cassettes, to portable cassette players, to CD's, with many innovations on that front... how many people still carry around an 80MB per CD libary? That's the kind of evolution I'm talking about; go from being able to record 2 hours (CDs) to 2 months (Google Music playing every song once, non-stop 24/7) worth of music and carry that with you. SD cards are like CD's to me, what's next?

 

[JeffDenver]

Ever since Google took the supporting code out of Android (Ice Cream Sandwich), there have been problems. Especially since they removed app to SD (Jelly Bean).

They did that for stability reasons, which is fine. With SD you do not need to store apps externally. Use interal memory for apps and external for everything else.

Their reasoning was that internal memory has passed the point where you would need to store apps on SD, and they are right. That does not mean you don't need SD for other reasons.

The Galaxies S3, Note 2 and S4 (not as many yet in the last) all have many threads about their phones killing SD cards

I know LOTS of people with Galaxy S3s and have never come across this problem even once. I have not seen this on any other SD enabled phones either (such as the Razr Maxx for example).

Like any issue, it doesn't happen to everyone or even most people, but I'd never want to risk losing pictures of my daughters, etc. to having that as my only plan.

So what is preventing you from using the same cloud storage as before? I still use dropbox as a backup for all photos. It is on auto-pilot...my phone immediately backs up any recent photos or video to cloud storage as soon as it detects wifi (or even 4G).

That is what I was saying before...SD is a convenience., it is not a replacement. It does not prevent you from still using cloud storage. It simply means you have options OTHER than cloud storage.

Your photos would be exactly as safe with SD as without.

The presence of expandable storage via SD card will never cause me to buy or not buy a phone.

Which is fine. But some people on here are treating no-SD as if it were an asset...it is clearly NOT an asset. It is a compromise you make. I made the same compromise...The Nexus 4 is so awesome I am willing to forego SD for it. That does not mean a lack of SD is a good thing.

I'm saying, "it's going away, now is the time to start shaping what storage evolves into".

It's not going away at all. if anything it is making a comeback. Google is releasing a vanilla Android device with SD for the first time since the Nexus One. SD is still here despite Google's kicking and screaming.

 

[JeffDenver]

The internet.

But the internet is not always available. And I have that anyway with SD. So why should I have to pick one or the other? Why can't I have both?

The strategy though shouldn't be to cling to yesteryear, it should be to come up with something completely outside the box that makes the old tech look silly.

And when you find something like that, I will be on board for migrating away from SD.

We've done this with music; going from records to tape on reels, to cassettes, to portable cassette players, to CD's, with many innovations on that front... how many people still carry around an 80MB per CD libary?

Thats a good example...the music industry wanted us to stay with Physical media. They had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the digital media everyone else WANTED to use.

Likewise, Google is wanting to push us to use the cloud when SD already does as much or more.

 

[fernandezhjr]

The cloud services are fairly new and will evolve as the mobile data networks expand and become more reliable. A few years ago, using the cloud on edge would have been unthinkable. Getting to hspa speeds was a real boost and LTE only makes it better, but we need real expansion of the networks and that will come. I do agree, regardless of how hard people want to hang on to sd slots, it is being phased out and will eventually be nonexistent. Google is only releasing the GE S4 with sd because it already exists on the Touchwhiz devices. Let's wait and see if the Nexus 5 has a sd slot. That will give us a better idea if Google wants continue to go the way of the iPhone. All they really need to do is put out devices with greater amounts of storage.

 

[snookasnoo]

It's really taking too long to get LTE on a Nexus. Should have already had it. The S4 is no substitute. Even with pure JB I don't like the hardware. A LTE Nexus 4 on Verizon..that would be about perfect. But not gonna happen most likely.

 

[fernandezhjr]

It's really taking too long to get LTE on a Nexus. Should have already had it. The S4 is no substitute. Even with pure JB I don't like the hardware. A LTE Nexus 4 on Verizon..that would be about perfect. But not gonna happen most likely.

The next Nexus later this year should have LTE. My concern with that is, is Google still gonna give us an awesome price on it?

 

[return_0]

It's really taking too long to get LTE on a Nexus.

Really? That happened 18 months ago.

Sent from my pure Google Nexus 4 using Android Central Forums

 

[rubi76]

Now that the Google Edition is out, clearly the s4 is the top phone to get.
Whether the extra $300 cost is justified or not by the 1080p screen, larger screen, larger and removable battery, microsd, and the sensors is the question.

Sent from my Nexus

 

[Aquila]

Now that the Google Edition is out, clearly the s4 is the top phone to get.
Whether the extra $300 cost is justified or not by the 1080p screen, larger screen, larger and removable battery, microsd, and the sensors is the question.

Sent from my Nexus

If you treat the S4 GE as it's own device and not as an S4, I'd say it might be top 5, but I wouldn't put it over the regular S4 because the regular one be turned into the GE, but not (at least as easily) vice versa... I'm glad they did it because of the possibilities it creates, but I'm not sure why you wouldn't just buy a regular one and flash the stock ROM that comes on the other.

 

[omniusovermind]

It's really taking too long to get LTE on a Nexus. Should have already had it. The S4 is no substitute. Even with pure JB I don't like the hardware. A LTE Nexus 4 on Verizon..that would be about perfect. But not gonna happen most likely.

The next Nexus later this year should have LTE. My concern with that is, is Google still gonna give us an awesome price on it?

Chips that enable LTE on most carrier bands rather than having to go through making a bunch of different phones for different were announced earlier this year so we should start seeing those rolling out soon

 

[bigdaddytee]

And Verizon will be going VoLTE soon, getting rid of CDMA and hopefully opening the way for an LTE Play Store unlocked Nexus. The second LTE Nexus!

Sent from the (4.2 updated) redheaded stepchild of the Nexii

 

[rubi76]

And Verizon will be going VoLTE soon, getting rid of CDMA and hopefully opening the way for an LTE Play Store unlocked Nexus. The second LTE Nexus!

Sent from the (4.2 updated) redheaded stepchild of the Nexii

Keep dreaming, "soon" is not so soon.

Sent from my Nexus

 

[Aquila]

Keep dreaming, "soon" is not so soon.

Sent from my Nexus

Approximately the same timing as the Assassin's Creed movie...

 

[dardata]

The screen on the N4 is very good but of course won't be as nice as the S4 new 1080p display and the S4 will have a more saturated display so colors really pop which alot of users enjoy. The battery life of my S3 is very similar to my N4 and I would expect the same from the S4. I personally prefer the feel and design of the N4 after using the S4 but thats just my opinion. The N4 camera is decent at best. It does take good photos in certain lighting but the extra features and photo quality blow the N4's camera away, hands down, if you need a good smartphone camera don't get the N4.

When it comes to LTE, it really wasn't that big of a deal for me to switch from having LTE to not having it. Yes the speeds are dramatically faster on LTE when compared to HSPA+ but, given the carrier you use and your location, the speeds are more then enough for daily use. If you want a carrier free experience with vanilla Android then a Nexus device is the best choice, of course. If you don't mind waiting for updates and dealing with carrier bloat but getting a slightly higher spec'd device then get the S4.

The overall experience is better on the N4, in my opinion.

I agree the experience will be better on the N4 - no bloatware - no touchwiz. Plus you will be rocking KLP probably a year before Samsung and the Carrier decide to provide an update.

Honestly, In real world the N4 is a better screen. Ive been comparing my girlfriend S4 to my N4 and IPS truly has better picture reproduction than the S4. Its not a huge difference either way unless you like to be fooled by over saturated pictures and equate that to a better picture (its not). Yes the S4 has 1080 and technically you have more real estate but it is not as significant as you may think. Now I have a rooted N4 with pie controls, so I have no navigation buttons taking up precious real estate. I can see 2 -3 extra line of txt in portrait mode on the S4 vs my N4 when viewing a web page full screen. If I desire I can negate that and hide the notification bar and go full retard thus negating the 2 line advantage of the S4.

I use to be big on external storage which the N4 has none but It a non issue for me now as Ive never been without internet access and there are many cloud services to circumvent the lack of storage. I was pissed the the N4 doesnt work with OTG cable so no external usb or harddisk storage! So this may be a deal breaker for some.